1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to food emulsifiers, and more specifically this invention relates to dry powdered emulsifiers which are essentially totally active and can be added directly to foods without first mixing with a carrier.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to use aerating emulsifiers in foods to improve texture by lowering the density. For example, emulsifiers are used in connection with the baking of various products to provide improvement in the structural characteristics of the baked goods such as grain, texture, softness and volume. Also, some emulsifiers improve the handling characteristics or machineability of the batter for the baked goods. These emulsifiers depend on the addition of a diluent or carrier because they are not active emulsifiers and aerating agents unless they are preblended with a carrier such as water, fats, oils, etc. The use of such carriers is undesirable for several obvious reasons. Handling of the concentrated powdered emulsifier is preferred to handling the diluted emulsifier. Also, flavor is often affected by carriers.
Patents of interest in this field include U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,958 which deals with succinylated monoglyceride and its use in combination with other food emulsifiers in the presence of fats or oils used in baking. U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,771 relates to adding to emulsifiers a dispersion consisting essentially of (1) a conjointly solidified mixture of propylene glycol monostearate and a monoglyceride, (2) stearoyl lactylic acid, and (3) water. This patent discloses that the components may be melted together to form a molten blend, which is then spray chilled to form a beadlet product. It is also known to blend propylene glycol monoesters, monoglycerides and succinylated monoglycerides, and to subsequently form a powder therefrom which must be melted in a carrier to be useful as an emulsifier.
According to the present invention, there is provided a composition which is particularly useful as an emulsifier for food products. Such products have low density and good volume when used with the emulsifier described herein. The emulsifiers according to the present invention are in particulate form and are essentially totally active (i.e., do not contain diluents or carriers) and can be added directly to food products such as cake batter, icing, whipped toppings, cream fillings, without first preblending with a component of the food or by the addition of a carrier.